Shifting draft-bar



(No Model.) YERS.

SHIFTING DRAFT BAR.

No. 320,384. Patgpted June 16,- 1885.

MQMW

N. PETERS. Phowmho n hur. Washmglon. D. C.

I Bars, of which the following is a specifica- UNITED STATES BURDIXE BLAKE MYERS, Oh MANNS CHOICE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHIFTING DRAFT-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,384, dated June 16, 1885.

(No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BURDINE B. them, a citizen of the United States,residingat Manns Choice, Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shifting Drafttion.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in draft-bars for sleighs.

The object of the inventions of this kind is to produce a draft-bar which may be moved longitudinally, so as to bring the brackets to which the tongue or shafts are attached equally distant from the center of the sleigh when a tongue is attached, and to one side of that position when the shafts are attached, in order to bring the horse to travel in the beaten track instead of the center of the road. Heretot'ore in these devices great difficulty has been experienced when it has been attempted to shift the bar after the sleigh has been in use and the parts to be moved have become covered with snow and ice.

The object of my invention is to produce a draft-bar which may be readily shifted from one of the above'ret'erred to positions to another without being affected by the snow or ice which may be thrown or formed upon it.

Vith this object in view myinvention consists of a draft-bar connected to a suitable supporting-frame by means of connectingrods, which are each pivoted at one end to the supportingirame and to the draft-bar at the other end, so that when thejbar is being moved from one position to another it is separated from the parts against which it rests when in position for use, and thereby avoids sliding in close contact to parts to which it may have become fastened by the formation of ice or deposit of snow or dirt.

In order that those skilled in the art it which my invention relates may know how to make and use the invention, I will now proceed to describe the same in connection y with the accompanying drawings, in whicht Figure 1 is a plan view of a sleigh, showin g my improved draftbar in position for the attachment of a pole, the dotted lines showing the draftbar in position for the attachment of shafts; and Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the position assumed by the parts when being changed from one of the positions shown in Fig. 1 to the other.

In the drawings, A represents the draftbar, which is provided with suitable brackets, to, for the reception of the eyes upon the rear ends of the tongue or shafts.

B 0 represent frames secured at one end to the front knees of the sleigh, and at the other to the forward part of the runners, and upon these frames are situated suitable posts, I), having overhanging arms 0, which are so arranged as to project over the draft-bar when it is in position for the attachment of either the pole or shafts. In order to retain the bar permanently in position, I provide these overhanging arms with thumb-screws, which maybe firmly screwed down upon the said bar. Instead of these set-screws, I may provide the ends of the arms with holes and the part of the frame directly under them with corresponding holes, and place in these contining-bolts; but the set-screws are considered mo e desirable, because of the ease with which they may be manipulated, and also because they are less liable to become shaken out of place.

D D represent two bars, which are each pivotally connected at one end to the draftbar, and at the other end to a suitable part of one of the frames.

When the draft-bar is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1-that is, adapted for the attachment of the draft-barone end projects a considerable distance beyond the frame upon which it is mounted, and in order to adequately brace it against the strain imposed upon it I provide the rod E, which is secured at one end to the draft-bar and slides through an eye secured to the framework of the sleigh. This rod or bar has a nut placed near its end in such position as to be brought against the eye when the rod is slid out by the shifting of the draft-bar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the front of the runners of a sleigh, the supporting-frames provided with overhanging arm. 0, having thumbscrews, the draft bar, and the pivoted i bars I) I).

IOO

2. In combination with the front of the runner of a sleigh, the supporting-frames provided with overhanging arms having thumb-screws, the draft-bars, and the pivot- B URDINE BLA KE MYERS.

. \Vitnesses 5 ed bars D D and the brace E substantially V as described. 7 EICHOLEZ In testimony whereof I have hereunto set SHUOK' 

